Canadian Forces News

[factanonverba]

The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- Part of the Conservative government's stimulus for the stumbling Canadian economy will be drawn from funds already earmarked for the construction of navy supply ships, patrol boats and icebreakers.
But the plan hinges on the country's shipbuilders and trade unions setting aside their differences and sharing the billions of dollars worth of work, says Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
"There is enough work for the Canadian shipyards on both coasts and in Quebec to keep people employed, and to keep that sector of the economy going full-tilt," MacKay said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"I see this as being in keeping with economic stimulus and getting people to work. And there's enough work in these projects to get all of these shipyards humming again."
Early in the new year, the federal government plans to convene a shipbuilding summit, involving National Defence, Industry Canada and Public Works and Government Services Canada, he said.
MacKay was asked whether the aim was to come up a continuous shipbuilding program, something the industry and unions have sought for decades.
"It would be something like that," he replied.
Getting away from the cyclical boom and bust cycle would benefit the Canadian economy, and even without a formal continuous build program the federal government can "roll out these projects in a way that is it staggered" and predictable, said the minister.
Unlike the $3.3 billion lifeline being thrown to the country's troubled auto industry, the money for shipbuilding would come from already planned purchases in line with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's suggestion that economic help from the federal treasury would be limited.
But a retired commander of the Canadian navy said neither Ottawa nor the industry will be able to make the plan work without injecting some new money.
Much of the complex expertise required to build warships has withered away since the last patrol frigate rolled off the skids and into the water in the mid-1990s, said former vice-admiral Bruce McLean.
"The handful of shipbuilding companies that remain in the country have found other niches to keep themselves profitable," he said.
On the West Coast shipyards are building cruise liners, while in the East, the industry has turned its attention to servicing the offshore oil and natural gas tenders.
"To put the (naval) building capability back together again is going to require resources from the industry, resources from the government, and it definitely needs some sort of long-term strategic plan," McLean said.
Public Works, the federal government's tendering arm, scuttled the $2.9 billion replacement process for the navy's supply ships last summer because the bids exceeded the Conservatives' budget envelope.
A $340 million proposal to build 12 inshore patrol boats for the coast guard also went down with the Joint Support Ship program for the same reasons.
Officials pledged last fall to relaunch the initiatives as early as this winter, but gave no definitive schedule.
It is more expensive to build ships here than it is overseas in such places as Korea and Europe, and MacKay said cost will be a factor in the talks next month.
"That's something that will be on the table when we have this discussion with shipbuilders. Their representatives and the unions will be involved in the discussion," he said.
He hinted that the government has done its homework, examining how ships are built in industry-leading countries such as Norway.
The Conservatives have promised to build as many as eight Arctic offshore supply boats for the navy, replace the country's 12 patrol frigates, as well as modernize the fleet of medium and heavy icebreakers.
McLean estimated the price tag for all of the ship construction that needs to be done over the next 25 years could run as high as $40 billion.

 

[factanonverba]

Federal government quietly releases $490B military plan

The Conservative government has quietly released the details of its extensive plan to beef up the military, including spending $490 billion over the next 20 years to ensure Canadian soldiers are well-equipped, well-trained and highly active.

Details of the plan, known as Canada First Defence Strategy, were posted Thursday night without fanfare on the Department of National Defence's website.

The posting comes almost six weeks after Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced at a news conference that his government had a strategy for the military but provided few details about it. Critics at the time said the strategy was nothing more than a speech, since Harper offered no document to back it up.

Speaking in Halifax on Friday, Defence Minister Peter MacKay defended the nighttime posting of the plan, saying the government was simply striving to provide more specifics about the strategy to Canadians.

Military analyst Rob Huebert told CBC News that he can't understand why Harper would release the document so quietly, and why he would do so the day before the House of Commons is expected to adjourn for the summer.

Still, he praised the document's contents, saying the strategy appears to be a well-balanced assessment that juggles the military's commitments at home and overseas.

"I'm hard-pressed right at this point, looking at it, to be really overtly critical," said Huebert, associate director of the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies in Calgary. "I do think they've got a good balance on this particular aspect."

The opposition also questioned the timing and delivery of the announcement in Parliament Thursday.

Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner said posting the information online in the "dead of night" sounded like the actions of "a government with something to hide."

But Laurie Hawn, MacKay's parliamentary secretary, pointed to Harper's previous announcement, saying the information had already been posted on the government website and that Canadians "wanted more details on it."


$60 billion on equipment
The document, which stresses the importance of giving the Canadian Forces predictable and stable funding, says $60 billion must be spent on much-needed military equipment, such as helicopters, patrol ships, planes, destroyers, frigates, land combat vehicles and weapons.

A total of $15 billion of these equipment purchases has already been confirmed and announced publicly.

Other military spending over the next 20 years is to include:

• $250 billion on personnel, with the military's numbers increasing to 70,000 regular members and 30,000 reserve members. (Currently, there are 62,000 regular members and 25,000 reservists.)
• $140 billion on training and maintenance of equipment.
• $40 billion on military buildings and infrastructure.

The document suggests that in the next 20 years, the international community will be coping with failed states, rogue nuclear nations and the increasing threat of terrorism. It also notes that the military needs to enhance its ability to operate alongside U.S. forces.

"The Canada First Defence Strategy will enable the Forces to … address the full range of defence and security challenges facing Canada now and into the future," the document states. "This strengthened military will translate into enhanced security for Canadians at home as well as a stronger voice for Canada on the world stage."


Six core duties for the military
The document says the Canadian Forces will have six core duties over the next 20 years and will often have to juggle more than one duty at once in Canada and overseas.

The duties are:

• Conducting daily domestic and continental operations, including protecting Arctic sovereignty.
• Supporting a major international event in Canada, such as the 2010 Olympics.
• Responding to any major terrorist attacks.
• Providing aid to civilian authorities during natural disasters and other crises in Canada.
• Conducting a major international operation for an extended period, such as the Afghan mission.
• Have enough troops remaining to deploy to other international crises for shorter periods of time.

NDP defence critic Dawn Black questioned why the document does not stress the peacekeeping work of Canadian soldiers.

"The more and more we become meshed with American foreign policy… the less and less ability we have to be independent and have a clear Canadian voice on the international stage."

 

[factanonverba]

In 1972 canada authorized the production of four ships, has "tribal class" , the first design was for a frigate ASW later in 1990s swap to a destroyer for air-defence and command control. One of them was used for hard target practise in 2000s, the three remaining are considered obsolete in 2010-2017 with 40 years old of full life cycle service and need immediately replacement. In 2006 Canadian government authorized a project called as "single surface combatant ships project" later US department of defence authorized the same project, is a multi-role frigate who can be used for air-defence and command control to a ASW. They're not in production right now, but the first project design sound good.

The new ships configuration :

• Active Phased Array Radar (APAR)
• SMART-L
• Medium dock for two large CH-148 ASW
• Vulcan Phalanx Mk15
• RGM-84 Harpoon
• Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
• Bofors Mk3 57mm
• Mk46 Mod 5
• RIM-66

The ships have average speed of 30knots and will be equiped with the lasted Combined gas or gas (COGOG) canadian made, who use electric/gas engine who reduice the noise. The ships are configured to be stealth and deadly silent and the most advanced in the entire world, canada is a world leader in ASW technology since 100 years.

OTTAWA - The Canadian Navy will ensure that its future surface combatant vessel has enough open architecture on various systems and takes advantage of a modular design process so new technology can be inserted as it develops.
At the same time, the Navy hopes to develop next-generation anti-submarine warfare equipment for the vessels.
A new office to guide the development of the 20 billion Canadian dollar ($18 billion) ship program has recently been created, and an examination of potential technologies for the vessels will be conducted.
In total, 15 Canadian Surface Combatants (CSCs) will be built. The first, expected to arrive after 2017, will be focused on area air defense and command and control. The Navy hopes to follow a process similar to the U.S. Littoral Combat Ship, which employs various mission modules and a modular design.
"With the modular approach, we're not compelled to freeze in technology," a Canadian Defence Department official said. "With the new class, because of the modularity and the openness of the architecture, when a new sensor or software capability comes along, we'll just plug it in."
The Canadian Forces, with its limited research budget, has decided to take advantage of naval technology developments from other nations, whether in weapons, command-and-control infrastructure or pro-pulsion systems. Defence Department sources say unique research will be concentrated in anti-submarine warfare, an area where Canada is considered a world leader.
Quick, Not Fancy
More exotic weaponry such as rail guns or electric propulsion will not be on the list of technologies for the first group of vessels. The focus for those vessels is on quick delivery, so they can be in the water to take over from the Navy's aging Iroquois-class destroyers, which will retire around 2016 or 2017.
Advanced naval technology could be incorporated into the CSC as additional ships come along later.
Retired Navy Commodore Eric Lerhe said Canada's Defence Department has two retired senior naval officers working on a new warship-building policy, which in turn would set the stage for the incorporation of future technology into the CSC. That new policy would see a continuous build of warships, breaking from past shipbuilding programs, which saw the purchase and construction of a class of vessels in a short period of time. That process forced the Navy to lock in technology by a certain date.
Building warships over a much longer period of time would allow the service to take advantage of technology improvements as they are developed.
"For the first batch of ships, you can go low-risk, basic current technology," said Lerhe, now a doctoral fellow with Dalhousie University's Centre for Foreign Policy Studies. "The next batch might bring in electrical propulsion, the next batch rail guns if they are developed by then."
Engine beds could be built in the CSCs' common hulls so they would have room to accommodate new propulsion technologies, he added.
Raytheon Canada recently made a presentation to Canadian Defence Department officials about outfitting the vessels with the most up-to-date generation of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Such weapons could be used for defending against sea-skimming missiles or for providing support for troops on shore, according to Raytheon officials.
Any such installation of cruise missiles on board a Canadian warship would be a first for the Navy, said Michael Pulchny, director for the Americas for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.
Other potential Raytheon weapon systems for the CSC could include the SeaRAM anti-ship missile defense weapon, although Pulchny notes that Canadian officials have not yet indicated what exactly they are looking for as far as technology and weapons for the vessels.
Considering the time frame for the arrival of the CSCs, Raytheon could also offer Canada a new-generation radar under development.
"We're just in the stages of developing the next-generation phased array radar," Pulchny said. "It's smaller, lighter, easier to put on smaller combatants."
L-3 Communications also is positioning itself to bid on the CSC program when the time comes.
Peter Gartenburg, vice president of L-3's Canadian operations, said the firm can contribute in a number of technology areas, including power generation and distribution systems and integrated communications throughout the ship.
One technology that would fit with the vessels is the integrated platform management system produced by L-3's Montreal-based facilities, he noted. The software-based system is in production, and the CSC could be outfitted with the most advanced versions when the time comes, Gartenburg said.
"In essence, you have sensors all over the ship feeding back to a computer console, let's say in the operations room, with operators there using Windows-based technology to receive information as to what's happening everywhere in the ship," he explained. "With that, they then can control the outcome. They will know if there's a fire in a particular space, they'll know if a valve failed to close."
Gartenburg said L-3 is also offering the system for the Canadian Navy's modernization program for its Halifax-class frigates.
"We'll also bid for the Canadian Surface Combatant, and by the time that comes to fruition, it will be at least 10 years downstream and we'll have a very, very sophisticated system there," he said. ■

 

[factanonverba]

[FONT=Times, serif]The price comparaison with the Danish Project Patruljeskibe and the CF SCSC and several another type of vessels such the new german Typ 124/125.

Danish – 1.5B Kr = $333M Cdn (Project Patruljeskibe)
FREMM – 280M € = $447M Cdn (French version, diesel powered)
FREMM – 350M € = $600M Cdn (Italian version, turbine powered)
Dutch – 400M € = $639M Cdn (De Zeven Provinciën class) (or up to – 450M € = $719M Cdn quotes vary according to source)
Spanish – 400M € = $639M Cdn (F100/Nansen class, prices vary)
Typ 125 – 550M € = $878M Cdn (projected German Fregatte Klasse F125)
FREMM – 550M € = $879M Cdn (projected air defence version)
Typ 124 – 700M € = $1.12B Cdn (German Sachsen class air defence frigate)
CF SCSC – 1.06B € = $1.70B Cdn (Single Class Surface Combatant)

[/FONT]

Canada's naval capabilities will start diminishing in the next several years and will be severely reduced after the turn of the decade, limiting the military's ability to conduct maritime operations at home and abroad, an assessment by the head of the navy says.

The capacity of the navy's fleet will likely be reduced by one-half as the service modernizes its aging frigates, docking some while upgrades are under way, and mothballing its 40-year-old Iroquois-class destroyers, according to the strategic assessment prepared by Vice-Admiral Drew Robertson.

That, in turn, will create a period starting around 2013 and ending in 2018 when there will be an overlap between taking old ships out of the water and not having new vessels to replace them. During that period, the navy will be limited in what it will be able to do, according to the assessment, which was leaked to the Citizen.

"Even the most expeditious procurement strategy is unlikely to deliver their replacements before we are compelled to retire the last of the three destroyers," the assessment notes. "Without both the air defence and command capabilities these ships provide, Canada will not be able to safely operate a Task Group in contested waters -- the key capability that provides to Canada the capacity for sovereign and independent action at sea, either at home or abroad [how likely are we to operate an independent task group abroad? - MC], and from which derives the ability to lead international coalition or alliance operations."

The documents point out that an $8.5-billion plan to build new destroyers has to be approved by the fall, and even then the new ships won't be in the water and available for operations for another 10 years [actually not destroyers, but a "Single Class Surface Combatant" to replace both the frigates and destroyers, as Mr Pugliese notes at this post--see also penultimate listing here; more on the SCSC at the Update here].

The Iroquois-class vessels are particularly important to the navy since they are outfitted with command and communications systems that allow them to direct other ships on operations. They also provide protection for other vessels from aerial attack...

It can take between 10 and 15 years for a new fleet to be designed and constructed. The assessment points out that the navy's capabilities to conceive, design and build a future maritime force have dwindled over the years.

Defence analysts say most of the recent investments in new equipment have been for the army and air force, but work is also under way on purchasing new supply ships and the groundwork is being set for the modernization of the frigates [details on the program here, with some informed comment here].

The federal government has also announced it will purchase a new fleet of Arctic patrol ships, but construction of those vessels is still years away. No decision has been made on whether to proceed with replacing the destroyers...

Liberal Senator Colin Kenny said the navy and air force assessments showed the Conservative government had dropped the ball on properly funding the Canadian Forces...
​

It is perhaps telling that this section of DND's 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities, "Generate and Sustain Forces Capable of Maritime Effects", is rather shorter than the equivalent sections for the Army and Air Force.

The Senator has been speaking what I think, in broad terms, is the simple truth for some time. This is from June 2006:
Senator Colin Kenny, the Liberal chairman of the defence committee, says the annual defence budget - which is projected to hit $20.3 billion by 2010-11 - should be $25 billion to $35 billion. "Probably closer to $35 billion."

 

[factanonverba]

First Griffon arrives at Kandahar Air Field

Looks like the helicopters will have a close combat role after all--the details:

First of 8 armed Griffon helicopters arrive in Kandahar to support Canadians

The first of eight armed CH-146 Griffon helicopters arrived at Kandahar Airfield on Saturday.

The Griffons, which have been given extra sensors and Gatling guns on top of their existing side door machine-guns and armour plating, will provide escort and protection for the larger Chinook transport helicopters.

The lumbering Chinooks are more vulnerable to attack by ground fire and rocket-propelled grenades, so they typically travel with smaller, armed escorts like the Griffons.

The Griffons will also give air cover to ground convoys [emphasis added], and will be on standby to evacuate battlefield casualties.

The commander of Canada's air wing, Col. Christopher Coates, says the Griffons may also be used to spot roadside bombs, which have killed more than half of the 103 Canadian soldiers lost in the Afghanistan mission.

"We can avoid areas where there are known IED (improvised explosive device) threats," Coates said.

"Some of the Griffons may be used in other roles like helping spot IEDs or other activities on the ground, surveying convoys as they move."..​

 

[factanonverba]

First design of the Artic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS), heavy armed icebreaker with 57mm (some sources as confirmed 20-40mm Bofors MK3). The ships look very close from the Svlabard Class, exept for the flight deck,weapon system and the missions. Canadian gouvernement is in PHASE 2 of signature between 2008-2009 and they will be operationnal in 2012-2015. Harper declared six to eight AOPS who can operated in first ice in Artic Region (North of Canada).

 

[factanonverba]

Viking Air in Victoria, British Columbia/Calgary, Alberta is suggesting a couple of different approaches to the one DND is pursuing to purchase (likely through an ACAN) the C-27J.

Here is a letter Viking is sending around to various media outlets.

December 19, 2008

RE: BEST VALUE SOLUTION FOR CANADIAN FIXED WING SEARCH & RESCUE

Letter to the Editor:

Recent reports have suggested that the Canadian Government intends to spend $3 Billion for up to 17 new FWSAR
aircraft to replace its aging CC-115 Buffalo fleet, which has long been utilized in search and rescue missions across the country.

I am writing on behalf of Viking Air of Victoria BC, which holds the design and in-service support certificate for the
CC-115, to remind the Canadian Government that there is an effective, economical, and Canadian solution for this
replacement issue: a modernized CC-115 variant.

Viking is prepared to work with the DND to develop a staged approach to upgrading and modernizing the current fleet, as
well as investigate the potential of introducing newly manufactured Buffalos on a phased-in basis as follows:


---upgrade existing General Electric engines to Canadian PW150 turbines, a proven, reliable and fuel efficient
engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada;

--introduce a modern integrated avionics and technology enhancement package with Synthetic View, FLIR and
NVG capabilities similar to that currently being installed in the new Viking Series 400 Twin Otters;
·
--re-start production of a modernized Buffalo at our manufacturing facilities in Calgary and Victoria, similar to the revitalized DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 400 program underway at Viking, which leveraged the engineering,
research and development on the original de Havilland airframe and marries it with the improvements offered
by modern technology engines, systems and avionics to create a commercial and military modern day
success story.

Viking has already received serious interest from several governmental agencies around the world and is cognizant of the growing demand for the launch of new production DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft.

By upgrading and modernizing the fleet and incorporating new build Buffalo aircraft, manufactured and supported in
Canada, the cost savings over introduction of a completely new type is huge.

The requirement to replace the present fleet is not based on a lack of ability for the Buffalo to do the job, but simply due to the aging of the aircraft. By breeding new life into the Program, the DND can continue to operate the best suited aircraft, safely, reliably, and with a huge reduction in acquisition and direct operating costs. The Buffalo is the best suited aircraft for its purpose, as noted on the Canadian National Defence website:

“The ‘Buff’ is able to fly in almost any weather, and into places other aircraft are incapable of reaching, making it ideal for the mountainous regions of British Columbia.”

By continuing with the tradition of the Buffalo, Canadian taxpayers will receive a proven low-risk product with huge
economic benefits and cost savings, thus allowing the DND to either acquire more aircraft for search and rescue or
reallocate the funds to other projects within DND. Not to mention the continuing benefits of keeping the program Canadian and further diversifying the Western Aerospace Industry.

We would welcome the chance to further discuss the merits of this proposal with you and we encourage you to speak to
DefenCe Minister Peter MacKay regarding this issue.

Sincerely
David Curtis
President & CEO
Viking Air



If you want to view some of David Pugliese’s previous articles from the Ottawa Citizen please go here:

 

[factanonverba]

Elite troops get more pay to stay: Extra money helps ensure JTF2 soldiers don’t go work for private firms
The Ottawa Citizen
August 26, 2006
By David Pugliese

Special forces units ranging from Canada’s Joint Task Force 2 to the British Special Air Service are hiking pay in an effort to stem the flow of skilled personnel to private military firms.

Soldiers with the Dwyer Hill-based JTF2 will have their pay boosted through various means this year in recognition of their skills and the hardships they face on the job in places such as Afghanistan.

Several weeks ago, British military leaders approved a 50-per-cent pay hike for those in the country’s special forces — the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service — to try to stop soldiers from leaving to take jobs as guns-for-hire with firms in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. military also brought in a series of pay hikes and bonuses a couple of years ago to deal with the same issue.

Canadian Forces spokeswoman Cmdr. Denise LaViolette said the increases in financial compensation for JTF2 were not brought specifically because people were leaving the unit for the private sector.

“Allowances are reviewed on a regular basis for everyone,” she said.

“It wasn’t specific to the issue of going to other groups or leaving DND. It was, that we have a system in place, they regularly get reviewed, they were found to be lacking, (so) we increased them,” Cmdr. LaViolette said.

However, she did acknowledge the end result of making such compensation competitive to the private sector is that personnel will consider staying with the unit.

But Senator Colin Kenny, chairman of the Senate’s national security and defence committee, said the allowance improvements are directly related to the fact that JTF2 has been losing highly-skilled personnel to the private sector. He questioned why the military would not acknowledge the obvious.

“If they don’t want to call it a retention allowance, fine, but the bottom line is that you have people who like a certain kind of work and that work is available these days in both the public and the private sector,” said Mr. Kenny.

A March 13 background document produced by the Defence Department on the JTF2 allowances notes the money compensates for various hardships, including conditions of work and risk involved with serving in the unit.

The JTF2 allowance has been increased based on qualifying service, with annual compensation ranging from $7,488 to $8,964 for general support personnel, from $13,680 to $16,356 for close support personnel and from $21,756 to $25,260 for “assaulters.”

The compensation scheme also includes special allowances for certain skills. A special operations assaulter allowance sees annual compensation ranging from $15,000 for those commandos with less than two years’ qualifying service as an assaulter to $39,576 for those with 14 years or more qualifying service.

Assaulters are considered the fighting edge of JTF2 and are serving in Afghanistan and are on duty for counter-terrorism missions in Canada.

The compensation is on top of the regular military salary and benefits, which are based on rank.

Records previously released under the Access to Information law have shown that JTF2 officers are concerned the unit is losing personnel to private military firms. Former JTF2 have found work as guns-for-hire with such companies in Africa and Iraq.

Mr. Kenny said he believes military personnel enjoy serving in JTF2 and would prefer doing such work within the Canadian Forces.

“But if someone is going to come along and offer them silly amounts of money, they know they’re in a high-risk occupation, they have families, they have a future to think about and they also know they have a fairly limited shelf-life, particularly if they are an assaulter,” he explained.

Mr. Kenny noted that being an assaulter “is a young man’s game.”

He said it is likely that the military will have to further increase such allowances to retain such troops.

But other defence analysts, as well as some contract soldiers themselves, have suggested the flow of special forces from western nations to the private sector is slowing as security firms turn to troops from developing nations, who will work for less.

In the aftermath of the Iraq invasion, private security firms were paying around $1,000 a day for highly dangerous jobs for the former special forces members from the U.S. and Britain.


For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/

 

[factanonverba]

THE CREATION OF THE CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS REGIMENT

December 23, 2008 by davidpugliese
Creating Canada’s new Commandos the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR)

Elite fighting regiment will soon be ready for ‘all sorts of scenarios’

David Pugliese
The Ottawa Citizen

Saturday, August 05, 2006

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - As part of a major expansion of Canada’s special forces — a move driven by the war on terror — a new regiment of elite fighters will be ready for action by the end of the month.

The Canadian Special Operations Regiment will be ready in an “interim operational capability” on Sept. 1 and fully ready for missions overseas or at home by the end of the year.

The regiment, to be based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, will provide support for Joint Task Force 2 — considered the country’s premier special forces unit — and conduct its own missions.

“We’ve made some excellent progress to date,” Lt.-Col. Jamie Hammond, the unit’s commanding officer, said during a lull in training in the southern interior of British Columbia.

“There’s a lot of training that will go on beyond this course, but right now I’m very happy with the quality of the people we’ve got, both the supporters and the actual candidates on the course.”

The regiment will have its official “stand-up” ceremony at CFB Petawawa on Aug. 13.

At this point, the regiment has about 270 members, including headquarters and supply staff, as well as a training cadre. It is expected to expand to 750 over the next three to five years.

The regiment can be called upon to fulfil a number of roles, including training foreign soldiers, special reconnaissance operations or direct-action missions — military parlance for attacking enemy targets or individuals.

Since the regiment is at high readiness, it could also be called on to help Canadians trapped overseas reach safety, similar to the mission that took place during the early days of the current crisis in Lebanon.

“My response is as long as we’re ready and we’re at a high readiness we could be deployed on all sorts of scenarios,” said Lt.-Col. Hammond.

The regiment is part of a significant expansion in the Canadian military of its special forces capabilities.

Earlier this year, the military created the country’s first special operations command to oversee such units. That command is responsible for JTF2, the special operations regiment, a special operations aviation squadron and an expanded nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological response unit. Eventually the command will have about 2,300 personnel under its control.

American defence analyst John Pike said Canada and other nations are following the example of the U.S. in expanding special forces, a move almost exclusively driven by the war on terrorism.

“The U.S. certainly sees such forces as important, but since we haven’t won (the terror war) yet we won’t know how big a role they’ve actually played,” said Mr. Pike, director of the Washington-based GlobalSecurity.org.

But, he said, Canada’s expansion of such forces will be seen in a positive light by U.S. military officials and could provide Canada with a way to further strengthen defence relations between the two nations.

The special operations regiment started with $25 million, but it hopes to receive approval in the fall for a $400-million project that would include new equipment and infrastructure. The Defence Department expects to build new training facilities and offices at CFB Petawawa.

The military put out the word in December it was looking for volunteers for the regiment. The troops were put through a 16-week selection course; of the original 178 candidates for what is being called a direct-action company, about 130 are left.

The regiment will have equipment and training similar to JTF2. Military officers say it is important the two units are interoperable since the regiment will be used at times to provide combat support for JTF2.

The expansion has been embraced by various Canadian governments. The program was launched under the Liberals shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, when it was decided to double the capability of JTF2. They later approved the creation of the special operations command and regiment.

The Harper government has added to the expansion by announcing the $2-billion purchase of Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, some of which are expected to support special forces.

At the same time, the Conservatives have announced they will create a 650-strong airborne regiment, but it is not known whether that would be brought into special operations command or stay under control of the army.

The Chinooks will give JTF2 and the regiment more ability to move around the battlefield in places such as Afghanistan, although the regiment still expects to use the Griffon helicopter for domestic missions and on some specific overseas operations, Lt.-Col. Hammond said.

The new regiment could also provide a recruiting pool of highly trained personnel for JTF2 in the future.

“I hope the best move up to JTF2,” Lt.-Col. Hammond said.


For more Canadian Forces and Defence Department news go to David Pugliese’s Defence Watch at:

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/


© The Ottawa Citizen 2006

 

[factanonverba]

Canada's air force will take delivery of its first new maritime helicopter in half a century by November 2010, two years behind schedule and with changes that will cost $117 million.
Defence sources tell the Canadian Press that a deal with U.S. defence contractor Sikorsky was concluded recently.
It resulted in a firm delivery date for the first of 28 CH-148 Cyclones, which were initially supposed to start flying from the decks of Canadian warships last month.
"We hope to have the program on track relatively soon," said a senior defence official who spoke on background.
The first helicopter — known by tail number 001 — is expected to arrive at Shearwater, N.S., the air force's principal base on the East Coast, and will be used to train flight crews, said the official.
The aircraft-maker isn't expected to complete delivery of all aircraft until 2012 and the fleet won't be fully operational until 2013.
National Defence is confident enough in the timetable that it has begun drawing up a schedule to retire its antique fleet of CH-124 Sea Kings, which have been in service since the early 1960s.
It became apparent last year that Sikorsky wasn't going to meet its contract deadlines for delivering the Cyclones.
During the intense negotiations that followed between the company, Public Works Canada and the Defence Department, it was suggested that taxpayers could end up forking out an additional $200 million beyond the already planned $5-billion budget.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay, as late as September, was expecting some form of additional cost to be tacked on to any potential agreement with Sikorsky.
In a statement late Tuesday, Public Works Canada confirmed a deal had been reached at a cost of $77 million for the helicopter purchase and $40 million for the 20 year in-service support contract.
But senior defence and military sources insisted that the extra cash will be made up from within the project's overall $5-billion initial price tag.
"It stays within budget," an official declared.
At one point during the talks, Sikorsky was told the federal government was prepared to impose late delivery penalties of $100,000 per day — to a maximum of $36 million — as provided in the original contract.
It's unclear if Ottawa followed through or whether the threat played a role in delivering the settlement. There was also speculation the Conservatives would simply cancel the deal.
New Democrat MP Peter Stoffer, whose Nova Scotia riding encompasses many air force pilots and maintainers, said he's skeptical of the new deadline.
"We've heard so many deadlines, so many timelines regarding the Sea King replacement, you don't know what to believe any more," he said Tuesday.
He said the auditor general should review the Tory government's handling of the contract.
The Cyclone's design was based on Sikorsky's already proven H-92 civilian helicopter, which is widely used in the offshore oil industry.
The recast, militarized version has the addition of a folding tail and rotors for storage aboard warships, anti-submarine warfare electronics, and a fly-by-wire system that allows the aircraft to be flown by computer.
"You have no idea how hard it has been" to re-engineer the aircraft, said a military official who has followed the program.
The extra equipment has made the Cyclone heavier, forcing Sikorsky to upgrade the GE CT7-8A engines to a more powerful variant. That has taken time and money.
Much of the equipment going into the aircraft is based on proven technology, which has increased the air force's "expectations of reliability and performance," said the senior defence official.
It was a reference to the availability problems facing the military's last big helicopter purchase, the CH-149 Cormorants, which have been in the shop for inspections and maintenance more often than expected.
Defence officials say the Cyclone will arrive with technical airworthy certification, meaning the aircraft design has been deemed safe.
It will still face gruelling operational testing after delivery, when the air force will determine whether the helicopter can do everything expected.